Acidic Foods/Alkaline Foods?

The pH of the human body is extremely important. A pH of 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. The normal range for human blood pH is between 7.35 and 7.45, which is slightly on the alkaline side. This is not a very big range and when the pH is higher or lower than this, health problems can occur. These might include bone weakness, fatigue, heart issues, weight concerns and allergies. A pH level of lower than 6.8 or higher than 7.8 may result in death. 

Urine pH can vary between being acidic and alkaline depending on the need for equalizing the body’s internal environment. Foods can be classified by their potential renal acid load (PRALS). 

• Fruits, vegetables, potatoes, wine, and fruit juices all have a negative acid load, and are alkaline.
• Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, and grain products all have a positive and high acid load, and are acidic.

The typical Australian Diet

The typical Australian diet generates a high amount of acid because it is high in foods like meat and dairy products, and low in fruits and vegetables. It is also very high in sodium. 

This high dietary acid load, and a low intake of minerals -such as potassium, magnesium, and calcium, can be a risk factor for disease. As people get older, it is harder for the kidneys to excrete daily net acid loads. This results in the body using more of its base stores, like bone and skeletal muscle, to alleviate the increasing baseline of metabolic acidosis.

Metabolic acidosis

Metabolic acidosis is when there is an increase of keto acids in the blood, which reduces the body’s capability to neutralize acids. When the body is continuously using its base stores, more calcium is excreted in urine, and results in a loss of body calcium.

The consequences of net acid production, and the increase in body fluid acidity, may cause the development of osteoporosis, loss of muscle mass, renal stones, and renal failure related to age. High dietary sodium, and low intake of potassium, adversely affects cardiovascular function, and can cause hypertension and stroke.

Dental erosion

Acidic foods and beverages can contribute to dental erosion. Studies have shown carbonated soft drinks and sports drinks, which are acidic, decrease the surface hardness of dentine and result in dental erosion and tooth sensitivity. 

An Alkaline Diet

Following a diet that is more on the alkaline side is better for overall health.

One study looked at the effects of an alkaline diet on muscle mass. As we age, we naturally start to lose muscle mass. A diet high in potassium - mostly fruits and vegetables, improves the maintenance of muscle mass in older adults and supplies adequate amounts of potassium and magnesium.

Fruits and vegetables are the greatest alkaline-forming foods

One study specifically researched the effects of consuming fruits and vegetables to prevent various diseases.The researchers found very convincing evidence that a diet of mainly fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of:

• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Coronary heart disease (CHD)
• Stroke
• Weight gain
• Type 2 diabetes
• Dementia
• Osteoporosis
• Asthma
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) 

Reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease

Consuming a diet that is predominantly fruits and vegetables can have a positive effect on the prevention of cardiovascular disease. 

Supporting bone strength

A study researching the effects of drinking an alkaline mineral water, rich in bicarbonate, on subjects who had normal calcium intake, found that the subjects that drank the alkaline mineral water during the trial had lowered bone re-absorption.

Reducing back pain

A study researched the effects of taking a supplement consisting of the following alkaline minerals: calcium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, iron, copper, chromium, and selenium found that the supplement reduced the symptoms of chronic low back pain.

Diet high in fruit and vegetables

A diet consisting of a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables has many benefits for a healthy body. 

References

1. Schwalfenberg, Gerry K. The Alkaline Diet: Is There Evidence That an Alkaline pH Diet Benefits Health? J Environ Public Health. Vol. 2012, Article ID 727630, 7 pages, 2012. http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jeph/2012/727630/cta/. Accessed August 13, 2016.
2. Konig Daniel, Muser Klaus, Dickhuth Hand-Hermann, et al. Effect of a supplement rich in alkaline mineral on acid-base balance in humans. Nutr J. 2009;8:23. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-8-23. Accessed August 14, 2016
3. Frassetto Lynda A, Morris Curtis R, Sellmeyer Deborah E, et al. Adverse Effects of Sodium Chloride on Bone in the Aging Human Population Resulting from Habitual Consumption of Typical American Diets. J Nutr. 2008;138(2):4195-4225. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/2/419S.long. Accessed August 15, 2016. 
4. Wongkhantee S, Patanapiradej V, Maneenut C, et al. Effect of acidic food and drinks on surface hardness of enamel, dentine, and tooth-coloured filling materials. J Dent. 2006;34(3):214-220. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571205001223. Accessed August 16, 2016. 
5. Sirimaharaj V, Messer Brearly L, Morgan MV. Acidic Diet and Dental Erosion Among Athletes. Aust Dent J. 2002;47(3):228-236. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1834-7819.2002.tb00334.x/abstract. Accessed August 16, 2016. 
6. Bartlett DW, Fares J, Shirodaria S, et al. The association of tooth wear, diet and dietary habits in adults ages 18-30 years old. J Dent. 2011;39(12):811-816. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0300571211002107. Accessed August 16, 2016. 
7. Dawson-Hughes Bess, Harris Susan S, Ceglia Lisa. Alkaline diets favor lean tissue mass in older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87(3):662-665. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/3/662.short. Accessed August 17, 2016. 
8. Welch AA, MacGrefor AJ, Skinner J, et al. A higher alkaline dietary load is associated with greater indexes of skeletal muscle mass in women. Osteoporos Int. 2013;24(6):1899-1908. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00198-012-2203-7. Accessed August 18, 2016. 
9. Boeing, H., Bechthold, A., Bub, A. et al. Critical review: vegetables and fruit in the prevention of chronic diseases. Eur J Nutr. 2012;51:637. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00394-012-0380-y. Accessed August 19, 2016. 
10. Veer Pieter van’t, Jansen Margie CJF, Klerk Mariska, et al. Fruits and vegetables in the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Public Health Nutr. 2000;3(1):103-107. http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=555840&fileId=s1368980000000136. Accessed August 19, 2016. 
11. Wynn Emma, Kreig Mar-Antoine, Aeschlimann Jean-Marc, et al. Alkaline mineral water lowers bone resorption even in calcium sufficiency: Alkaline mineral water and bone metabolism. Bone. 2009;44(1);120-124. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S8756328208007813. Accessed August 21, 2016. 
12. Vormann J, Worlitschek M, Goedecke T, et al. Supplementation with alkaline minerals reduces symptoms in patients with chronic low back pain. J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2001;15(2-3):179-83. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11787986. Accessed August 21, 2016.